Residing within the Netherlands makes Belgium a stone’s throw away and a straightforward vacation spot to go to. And boy, am I having fun with that profit now after I’m again there. A number of weeks in the past, I spent a weekend in Antwerp, which was possible my fifth or sixth go to to that stunning metropolis. So, I lastly gathered right here a information with one of the best locations to see throughout a weekend in Antwerp (together with some additional ideas for artwork lovers).
Methods to Spend a Good Weekend in Antwerp
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Antwerp is dwelling to quite a few nice museums, lots of which had been not too long ago restored or newly opened. You may positively count on to see some high-class artwork throughout your 48 hours in Antwerp. It’s additionally the town of style, with many native designer retailers to flick thru. And, final however not least, it’s the town of chocolate, with a number of the finest chocolatiers on the earth having their retailers there.
The town skilled its golden age and was one of the essential locations on the earth in the course of the Sixteenth century. You’ll discover traces of that prosperity in lots of Antwerp buildings constructed throughout that point. It’s additionally current within the great amount of the Sixteenth and seventeenth centuries artworks you’ll encounter in Antwerp museums and church buildings.
Though you would spend much more time there, for those who solely have two days in Antwerp, take a look at my ideas for an ideal weekend in Antwerp.
⤷ Learn extra: Cultural tourism defined – Methods to be a cultural vacationer
What to see in the course of the two days in Antwerp
Let’s begin with a tip first. Antwerp is a moderately compact metropolis, and its fantastic to be explored on foot. To get probably the most out of it throughout your weekend in Antwerp, keep in a centrally situated resort. Throughout my final go to, I stayed in Hampton by Hilton, which is conveniently situated proper throughout of the Antwerp Prepare Station. I additionally stayed in HotelO Kathedral just a few occasions earlier than, which is situated proper subsequent to the Antwerp Cathedral.
⤷ TIP: Should you’re visiting Antwerp with a automotive, you may park it in a big storage proper subsequent to the Antwerp Prepare Station. That was tremendous handy for me throughout my final go to, as a result of my resort was simply throughout the road from it.
Weekend in Antwerp: Day 1
Antwerpen-Centraal practice station
Should you’ll journey to Antwerp by practice, don’t depart the practice station instantly as a result of it’s extensively thought-about to be one of the lovely practice stations on the earth. Designed by the architect Louis Delacenserie, and constructed between 1895 and 1905, it’s one of the well-known landmarks in Antwerp.
Consisting of 4 ranges of platforms, the Antwerp practice station will not be solely famend for its lovely structure, but additionally for its unbelievable engineering.
⤷ Learn extra: Historical past of travelling – How folks began to journey
Begin by exploring the town centre
Taking a stroll by means of the town is my favorite approach of beginning any go to to a brand new vacation spot. After checking in at my resort, I took a pleasant 15-minute stroll in direction of the Antwerp city corridor.
I visited on the finish of December when the sq. in entrance of it turned dwelling to a beautiful Christmas market. It was stuffed with wood stalls promoting chocolate, honey, and native merchandise. The odor of freshly baked waffles and mulled wine put me in a vacation temper instantly.
The Brabo Fountain within the centre of the sq. represents the legend by which the town received its identify. Though the gabled homes surrounding it look as in the event that they had been constructed centuries in the past, nearly all of them is definitely fairly new, constructed within the revival types in the course of the late nineteenth century.
⤷ TIP: Have lunch at Bubble Waffle Cafe. I used to be on the lookout for a pleasant lunch someplace within the metropolis centre and stumbled upon this place. They serve scrumptious salads and waffles. Should you received’t discover a place there, a number of good eating places surrounds it. A sensible transfer with Antwerp eating places is to order them prematurely. I haven’t executed that and have had a little bit of a difficulty getting a desk.
Antwerp Cathedral of Our Girl
One of many architectural highlights in Antwerp is the Cathedral of Our Girl. The constructing’s building began in 1352, making it the most important Gothic edifice in Belgium, with its tower being 123 metres (404 toes) tall.
One thing which all the time surprises me contained in the Antwerp Cathedral is how vibrant it’s. With its elegant white arches and pillars, it virtually seems as if its builders had been impressed by the well-known Flemish lace.
The Cathedral is dwelling to many altar work made by Pieter Paul Rubens. Should you’re accustomed to his work, you’ll recognise these work instantly as a result of they’re amongst a few of his most well-known artworks.
Nello and Patrasche Statue in entrance of the Cathedral
Some of the distinctive statues in Antwerp is situated proper in entrance of the Cathedral. Created in 2016, it exhibits characters from the 1872 novel set on this Belgian city. The story follows an orphan boy, Nello, and a stray canine, Patrasche, who type an uncommon friendship. They roam the streets of Antwerp collectively and spend a number of their time admiring Rubens’s work contained in the Cathedral. A collection of unlucky occasions brings them to dying within the cathedral, and the statue exhibits them of their closing hug.
⤷ TIP: Should you’d prefer to discover extra areas in Antwerp linked to this story, observe this hyperlink to study extra about them.
KMSKA Museum
One of many principal causes for my go to to Antwerp was to go to its not too long ago restored and reopened Royal Museum of Effective Arts (often known as KMSKA). Strolling from the town centre to the museum offered a view of Antwerp I didn’t know earlier than. Charming cobbled streets I walked by means of had been dwelling to quite a few small galleries, designer and vintage retailers.
KMSKA is situated in a grand neoclassical constructing accomplished in 1894, which is immediately dwelling to artworks made between the 14th and Twentieth centuries. The museum is massive sufficient so that you can be mesmerised by artwork, however not too huge for a go to to depart you overwhelmed.
A few of my favourites had been work by Pieter Paul Rubens, Jan van Eyck, Pieter Bruegel, and an exquisite portray by Van Gogh from his early years. I additionally beloved stunning modern artwork installations throughout the museum galleries, like the enormous hand which might begin spinning on occasion, mesmerising (and horrifying some) guests.
⤷ Learn extra: The place to see the work of Pieter Bruegel the Elder in Belgium
The KMSKA can be a must-see place throughout your weekend in Antwerp for those who’re within the work of James Ensor. The museum holds a unbelievable assortment of his art work displayed in particular galleries devoted to him throughout the museum.
⤷ TIP: Should you’d like to go to this museum on a guided tour, guide this KMSKA non-public tour.
I completed my first day with a pleasant stroll again to the town centre and dinner. As soon as once more, my tip is to guide a desk for dinner, as a result of I attempted my luck in just a few eating places till I used to be lastly capable of get a desk.
Weekend in Antwerp: Day 2
Apart from all of the artwork and tradition, my favorite factor in Belgium is a scrumptious Belgian meals! So, one in every of my favorite issues in Antwerp was beginning the day slowly with a pleasant, enjoyable breakfast. My resort had a view of Antwerp practice station which made me really feel like these early Twentieth-century travellers; slowly sipping their espresso whereas ready for the whistle of a steam engine to mark their practice departure.
Antwerp Metropolis tour
However, I couldn’t take issues too slowly as a result of I used to be becoming a member of a metropolis tour within the morning. That is one thing I repeatedly do on all of my journeys, as a result of it’s such an effective way to study in regards to the metropolis’s historical past. We had been a small group of 5 folks, and our information was stuffed with fascinating tales about Antwerp.
Though I visited the town just a few occasions earlier than, we stoped by some locations I wasn’t accustomed to. I realized a lot extra about Antwerp’s historical past. Should you’d prefer to guide a tour throughout your go to, too, right here is the Antwerp metropolis strolling tour I took (and strongly suggest).
⤷ TIP: Have lunch at De 7 Schaken restaurant! We received a tip for this restaurant from our information. They serve hearty Belgian meals, which you’ll pair properly with a number of the quite a few scrumptious Belgian beers. Though I’m not a giant beer fan, I attempted Tripel Karmeliet beer and beloved it! An enormous, huge advice for this place!
Antwerp Inventory Trade
Antwerp Inventory Trade or Handelsbeurs was one of many new locations I found in the course of the metropolis tour. It’s fairly a singular place as a result of it was made as the primary purposely constructed inventory trade home on the earth, all the best way again in 1531.
It’s one of many locations which witness the wealth of Antwerp in the course of the Sixteenth century. These days, it’s changed into an occasions venue, and it doesn’t serve its unique objective anymore. Nonetheless, it’s open to the general public. If there are not any occasions taking place in a second, you may stroll inside and admire its lovely inside.
Purchase Chocolate on the Chocolate Line
Belgium is dwelling to a number of the most interesting goodies on the earth. There’s a complete museum in Antwerp, referred to as Chocolate Nation, devoted to that candy a part of Belgian cultural heritage. Nonetheless, you must also go to a number of the Antwerp chocolate retailers throughout your go to and take a look at a few of these delicacies.
I’ve executed my justifiable share of the analysis over time and have some favourites. The place I like and go to every time I’m in Antwerp is the Chocolate Line. The second I entered their lovely store on the well-known Meir buying avenue, I used to be enchanted with the wealthy odor of cocoa.
I purchased a field with combined goodies this time, and each I attempted was higher than the final one. Though they’re on a little bit of a pricier aspect, the Chocolate Line merchandise are value each cent.
Museum Plantin-Moretus
Should you’ll go to just one museum throughout your weekend in Antwerp, make it Museum Plantin-Moretus. It was my first time in that museum, however it shortly turned one in every of my favorite locations there.
It’s a printing museum situated within the former residence of the Sixteenth-century printers Christophe Plantin, who was one of many main figures in printing of his day, and his son-in-law, Jan Moretus. The home is a chunk of artwork itself, with richly embellished rooms and an exquisite courtyard.
The museum is a good place to go to for anybody even remotely within the historical past of printing and the artwork of guide creation. It’s dwelling to 2 of the oldest printing presses on the earth and a unbelievable assortment of typographic materials. I particularly loved seeing all of the previous books, particularly a number of the first world atlases. It’s listed as a UNESCO World heritage Website since 2005.
⤷ Learn extra: 25 Stunning UNESCO World Heritage Websites in Europe
Some further ideas for artwork lovers in Antwerp…
Van Gogh in Antwerp
Vincent van Gogh lived in Antwerp from December 1885 till January 1886. It was at a degree in his profession when Van Gogh has left the Netherlands and needed to attend artwork courses on the Artwork Academy in Antwerp.
Though his time there was moderately transient, you may nonetheless discover many areas linked to Vincent van Gogh in Antwerp (for instance, the home through which he lived, the Artwork Academy he attended, and areas of some work that impressed him).
I explored these locations throughout my journey to Antwerp just a few years in the past, and you’ll examine them in my article beneath.
⤷ Learn extra: Vincent van Gogh areas in Belgium
Areas from the “Following Van Gogh” guide
An enormous portion of my guide “Following Van Gogh” is ready in Antwerp, together with the Antwerp Cathedral and the Antwerpen-Centraal Prepare Station. There’s additionally fairly some motion taking place there involving criminals chasing the principle character, Lizzy, across the streets of Antwerp.
An entire paragraph of the guide is devoted to Van Gogh’s life in that metropolis, as properly. So, seize a duplicate of the guide, and observe within the footsteps of its protagonists in Antwerp. And let me know which of them have you ever spot.
⤷ TIP: Try the Following van Gogh guide’s official web site right here to order your copy.
Extra cultural locations to go to throughout your weekend in Antwerp
There’s a lot to see and do in Antwerp that it’s arduous to squeeze every thing inside simply two days. Listed here are a few of my further ideas for locations I’ve seen throughout my earlier visits to Antwerp.
Het Steen
Het Steen is a Thirteenth-century medieval fortress and the oldest constructing in Antwerp (though it’s not the oldest construction that was inbuilt that place). The constructing was used as a jail between 1303 and 1827.
The statue in entrance of it represents a large accompanied by two folks. The large’s identify is Lange Wapper and, by the legend, he used to terrorise the folks of Antwerp up to now.
The constructing homes a customer centre immediately and The Antwerp Story, which is a good place to study in regards to the metropolis’s historical past.
Rubens Home
The painter Peter Paul Rubens was one of the well-known Antwerp inhabitants. His former centrally situated home was changed into a museum, and it’s one of many locations you shouldn’t miss in Antwerp. Nonetheless, it’s not included on this Antwerp weekend information as a result of it’s present process an in depth renovation in a second and it’s closed to the general public.
I had an opportunity to see it in 2015 earlier than the renovation and beloved it! So, for those who’ll go to Antwerp after 2030 (when it’s deliberate to reopen), you’ll want to embrace it in your Antwerp itinerary.
Snijders&Rockox Home
This small museum is such an artwork gem in Antwerp! The museum is situated in two adjoining townhouses previously owned by the painter Frans Snijders and the town mayor Nicolaas Rockox. You must go to it for those who’re within the Flemish artwork of the Sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Amongst them, you’ll discover work made by Peter Paul Rubens, Jan Sanders van Hemessen, Jacob Jordaens, Frans Snyders, and plenty of others.
Additional ideas for visiting Antwerp
Waffles, chocolate & beer: Belgium has an exquisite delicacies, so you’ll want to eat native whereas there. Attempt some waffles, purchase a lot of goodies and revel in in native (particularly fruit) beers throughout your keep.
Make reservations in eating places: Eating places in Antwerp get fairly busy each in lunch and time for dinner, so you’ll want to guide a desk prematurely.
Ubigi eSIM: Are you visiting Antwerp from outdoors the EU? Then getting an eSIM could be a good suggestion. You may learn my complete article about it and why to purchase Ubigi eSIM in your subsequent journey overseas right here.
There’s a lot to see and do throughout a weekend in Antwerp! Hopefully this Antwerp journey information will provide help to in planning your go to.
Extra locations it is best to go to in Belgium:
Cowl picture by Zoë Gayah Jonker on Unsplash
